Adult Use of ADHD drugs increase

October 28, 2005

ADHD is a medical term that stands for attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome, a condition commonly associated with children. However, the term is being applied more often to adults who experience the same problem- an inability to focus coupled with degrees of hyperactivity. Health experts who keep data on such things indicate that from 2000 to 2004 the use of Adderall, Concerta, Strattera, and other ADHD drugs doubled (100% increase), while the use of the same drugs in children increased by only 56%. An official with one of the largest prescription benefit management companies in the US recently indicated that adult women between the ages of 20 and 44 experienced the greatest increase of all age groups in the use of these drugs.

Statistics also indicate that over a million Americans 20 years of age and older are using ADHD drugs primarily because about half of such adults had attention deficit or hyperactivity problems as a child. It has been suggested that another major reason why some adults take these drugs is due to the effectiveness of direct-to-consumer advertising in television and magazines.